Improvement in barrel-heads



I. W'. TAYLOR.

BarreIJHeadS.

P atented June 17, 1873.

HHH

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES W. TAYLOR, OF ASHLAND, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN BARREL-HEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,095,v dated J une 17, 1873; application filed February 24, 1873.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs W. TAYLOR, of Ashland, in the county of Hanover and State of Virginia, have invented an Improvement in Barrel-Heads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specilication, in which- Figure 1 is a top-plan View; Fig. 2, a vertical section Fig. 3, a bottom-plan view; and Fig. 4, a perspective View, a portion of the wall of the barrel having been broken away to show the head more clearly.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote the same parts.

This invention relates to that class of barrel-heads for an improvement in which Letters Patent of the United States, No. 130,600, were granted to me August 20, A. D. 1872; and it has for its object to reduce the cost of such barrel-heads, to render them more convenient of operation, and to simplify their construction, so that they Will last longer without getting out of order. To these ends the invention consists in the improved construction and combination of the parts, as I will now proceed to set forth.

In the drawings, B is the barrel, bucket, keg, pail, or other receptacle to which the head is to be applied, and A is the adjustable head. This head is made in two parts, t al, so constructed that when placed with their curved edges fitting tightly into the croze an angular space, C, will exist between their straight edges, such edges coming nearly or quite together at one side of the head c, and spreading apart half an inch, more or less, at the other side, c', vas shown clearly in Fig. 3. The two parts, a al, are connected across this space, near the side c, by means of a strap or bar, m, and the space itself is covered by a ange, a2, secured to one of the parts a al so as to lap over 'the edge of the other, as represented in Figs. 2, 4. A lever, E, is pivoted to that part which does not support the liange a2 in such a manner that when extended, as shown inA Figs. 1, 4, it will bear against the edge of the flange, .force the two pieces, a a1, apart, and hold them apart with their chamfered edges tightly fitting into the croze, thus securely covering the barrel or other vessel. By turning the lever around at right angles to this position it not only unlocks the parts ofthe head, leaving them at liberty to close together, but, in connection with the frange-piece a2, it affords a hold 'for the thumb and fingers, by which the two parts can be easily forced together, so as release their edges from the croze, and enable the whole head to be Withdrawn from the barrel.

The bar m may be applied so as to spring the parts a al together when the lever E does not hold them apart, if desired, to this end it only being necessary to make the bar of some springy wood or otherl material, and` secure each piece to it by several screws or nails. 1f preferred, on the other hand, a spring may be inserted between the parts to hold them apart; but it will not be found necessary.

On some of my heads I may place a small piece of thin iron on the lever, fastening it to the cross-bar, so that when the lever is turned it may work the head; also, some of my heads may be made with the slit ending in a hole, instead of extending clear across the head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- Thc spring-bar m, in combination with the parts a al, the flange a2, and the lever or eccentric E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

v i JAMES W. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

WM. J. LEAKE, E. VAUGHAN. 

